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Microsoft Access 2010 Tips and Tricks

Whether you have experience with Microsoft Access or are new to the product, Microsoft Access 2010 comes with new and improved features that differ from some of its predecessors. To help you improve your Access 2010 user experience and maximize your time, here are some random tips you can employ. After some practice, you can become a refined Access user in no time.

Make Use of Templates

If you are totally new to Access 2010 and are worried about starting your own database from scratch, don’t worry, as Microsoft has loaded the program with tons of templates to help you get started. The templates range across different industries to cover varying needs, and you can begin using them by simply deleting the sample data and inserting your own.

As a side note, you can cut down on browsing time spent on looking for a template by going to the BackStage View’s New tab and typing a descriptive term into the Search field. This should give you some results of related templates that offer exactly what you are looking for.

Output to PDF

Outputting your reports to PDF can help you when it comes to sharing with others who do not have Access 2010. Luckily, Microsoft decided to integrate this feature into Access 2010. To perform the task, go to the menu and select File, followed by Save & Publish. Under File Types, click Save Object As. Next, click the PDF or XPS option. Finally, click Save As to output the file to PDF format.

Publish a Standard Access Database to the Web

Publishing an Access database to the Web helps when you want to share it easily with others. If you just made the jump to Access 2010 but have older databases from prior versions, you can publish them to the Web. To do so, you must run the Compatibility Checker. This feature checks the database application for any issues with Web compatibility, and it tells you which items or settings are not supported on the Web.

Once you run the checker, it will tell you whether or not the database is compatible with the Web. You’ll receive details on specific errors by clicking on Web Compatibility Issues. This lets you know what must be changed or fixed.

Share Reports with Others

Besides publishing databases to the Web, you can also share reports with users that lack access to the application. Not only is it easy to do, but there are also a few options along the way to make the entire process even quicker in future instances.

To begin sharing, look for the report in question via the Navigation Pane. Once you find the report, right-click on it and select the Export option. Next, choose the file format you want to save and share it as. Your best bet is to choose Excel or PDF, but there are other options as well that may better fit your needs.

Once the file is exported successfully, you will see options to save the export steps. This comes in handy if you plan on repeating the process in the future. By checking the box next to Save export steps, you will be able to execute an export again without having to use the wizard. Save the export with a descriptive title for easy reference. You can also add a description, if desired.

To take things one step further, there’s also an option to create an Outlook task. Selecting this option will give you reminders when its time to repeat the export operation. Included in the Outlook task will be Run Export button to perform the export process in Access. To create the task, check the box next to Create Outlook Task. Click Save Export at the bottom and you are finished.

Spruce up Your Report’s Appearance

While it may seem as if the data you work with in Access 2010 is dull and boring, it doesn’t necessarily have to be that way. After all, there’s a high possibility that you will be sharing your reports with others, so why not make them look more presentable? You can achieve this through the use of themes. Microsoft Office 2010 themes can be applied to your reports to provide uniformity. For example, if you used a certain theme for a Word document, you can use it with your Access report as well. Simply go to the Report Layout Tools tab. Look for the Themes group and click the Themes tool. Select the theme you want and your Access report will gain a nice facelift.

Add Images for Widespread Use

Adding images to forms and reports is a pretty common practice that helps with branding and making documents look more official. Thanks to the Image Gallery in Microsoft Access 2010, you can add an image with ease and also access it quickly for inclusion with other forms and reports.

While in the form or report you wish to add the image to, go into the Design view. Next, click on the Insert Image button at the top. Click on Browse to locate the image you want to add. Select the form or report you want to add the image to. This will add the image to the specified destination as well as the Image Gallery so you can use it in the future.

Keep the Navigation Pane Hidden

Everyone has different tastes, so whether or not you actually want to have the Navigation Pane in plane view depends on your needs. Some may find it to be useful when it comes to browsing database objects, but others may find it unnecessary. Regardless, you can hide the navigation pane once you are in the database’s BackStage View. Next, go to Options and select the Current Database tab on the left. Look for the Navigation heading and uncheck the box next to the Display Navigation Pane option. You’ll also see further options for the pane, as well as Ribbon and Toolbar options to help you customize Access’ look even more.